Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1999-229917 (hereinafter referred to as “JP1999-229917A”) discloses a vehicle control apparatus for controlling the drive power of a vehicle depending on a curve that is ahead on the road. When a navigation device on the vehicle detects a curve, the vehicle control apparatus sets a deceleration control permission range based on the detected curve. When the vehicle enters the deceleration control permission range, the vehicle control apparatus incrementally corrects an amount of engine braking in order to perform a deceleration control process (see paragraphs [0002] and [0003] of JP1999-229917A).
According to JP1999-229917A, in order to prevent the deceleration control process from being switched on and off frequently in a situation where there is a succession of curves along a path such as a mountain path, for example, if the distance between adjacent deceleration control permission ranges is small, then the vehicle control apparatus joins the adjacent deceleration control permission ranges into a single deceleration control permission range (see paragraph [0007] of JP1999-229917A).